Boasting in One's Infirmities

We’re just “people”, as common as the clay of the earth—from which God created us, and to which He promises us that we will return!

I’m therefore nothing ‘special’.  That’s a hard saying for those in our society.  It is especially hard for parents, who consistently want to make their children “feel special.”  “God only made one of you!” we say, and that’s true.  But He also made billions of others.  And so in a very real way, we are as “special” as every snowflake, which is different from every other one, but is simultaneously as common as the next one to fall from the sky!

In today’s Epistle reading (2Cor 11:31-12:9), Saint Paul demonstrates to us how very uncommon he is.

He begins by relating the account of how he had to depend on others to smuggle him physically out of Damascus to save his life.

But then he goes on to describe “a man”, which obviously becomes a pseudonym for himself, who experienced Divine revelations, being caught up to the third heaven, and also being caught up into Paradise where he heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.  This gives us only a dim glimpse into the holiness that exists in the heavenly realms, where spiritual beings (the angels) give voice to things that we, as God’s creation, His “people”, are bound by His Heavenly law to NOT pronounce!

It takes someone more “special” than Saint Paul to speak such words!

Saint Paul uses the word “boast”.  The Greek word used is kauchaomai, which translates more often to glory than to boast.  But it also carries the additional meaning of rejoice.  The Saint is giving us a wealth of meaning by his choice of words, indicative of his being overcome with awe at what God revealed to him.

Now, all of this indeed makes St. Paul one of a very few who have ever had a revelation such as this.  We would conclude that this indeed makes him “special”!

But what words does he use immediately following these?

Of such a one I will glory, yet of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.  The word used for infirmities is astheneia, which also means weakness or sickness.

What is a focus on weakness indicative of if not of sin?  And so immediately following the incredible description of things heavenly, Saint Paul brings us immediately back to earth, and to his (and through him, our) sinfulness.  The one special snowflake has just attached himself to the pile of those billions of others, showing in only a few words what potential God has built into us, His creation, but leaving us as members of the larger humanity.

Why?

All of us have been given gifts.  They are to be used in godly ways, in ways that benefit the spiritual well-being of those whom God puts into our lives as being in need in ways He has blessed each of us individually to be of help to the least of His brethren.

Saint Paul goes on to show how God even has a purpose for physical infirmity, wherein one as close to the Lord as Saint Paul is told that his illness will NOT be healed.  Why?  Because My grace is sufficient for you.  In short, “I’ve given you what you need to find salvation.  That includes a little suffering!  Again, why?  For My strength is made perfect in weakness! 

None of us ever want to bear the burdens of sickness nor suffering.  None of us want to watch loved ones have to bear those burdens.  But we need to trust in God who gives to us only that which is of benefit for our salvation—even infirmity.

If we can come to a recognition of such a loving grace from our Lord, we too can glory in our own infirmities.

Glory to Jesus Christ!  Glory forever!

Children of God Becoming Good Students

 We often describe ourselves in this way.  We “dare to call upon the heavenly God as Father”, and therefore we are his children. 

As children, we have a lot to learn.  As children, we often go astray, and we need correction.  Just as with our own children, sometimes a “gentle word of correction” is insufficient to get our attention and to turn us around from the behavior that requires correction.

The Book of Proverbs is filled with instruction and ‘imagery’ related to this issue.  And as is typical for Proverbs, some of the instruction is a combination of positive with negative.  “The rod and rebuke give wisdom.  But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” (Prov 29:15)  And some of the instruction is just reinforcing positives.  “Correct your son and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.” (Prov 29:17)

Saint Paul also speaks in similar terms.  “No chastening seems to be joyful in the moment, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb 12:11)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus enters the village of Nain, and there in His compassion for His creation, seeing a young man, the only son of his mother, laying dead and being buried, we can only imagine the empathy he feels for the mother.  And so by His Word alone, He restores the young man’s life, and returns him to his mother.

What has this to do with “discipline”, or being God’s children?

If you read further in the 7th Chapter of Saint Luke, we find this incident being reported throughout Judea.  It makes it to the ears of the imprisoned Saint John the Forerunner.  In his own love for his “spiritual children”, his remaining followers, he sends them to Jesus with the question, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”  Jesus answers their question by giving them the grace to witness His miracles.  Only then does He say, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the Gospel preached to them.”  Jesus gives this instruction as John had intended—not for John’s benefit, but for the benefit of John’s disciples.  They are being “taught” by God the Son, brought along as “children” in their understanding.

Jesus then chastises the Pharisees, giving them every chance to repent before it’s too late.  He says, “John came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man has come both eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look—a glutton and a winebibber… But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Children.  Yes, we need to be corrected, for we often follow the wrong path.  But don’t forget Christ’s own praise of children.  “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 19:14)

As we consider God’s gentle means of bringing our souls into conformance to His will, consider how Chapter 7 of Saint Luke ends.  Here we find the woman anointing the Lord’s feet with oil, weeping, wiping His feet with her hair.  As she does, Simon the Pharisee in his heart judges both her and the Lord for this act.  For His part, Jesus explains to Simon the case of the creditor who forgives two unequal debts, one much greater than the other.  Simon judges rightly that the one forgiven more will love the more.  Jesus turns this on Simon, saying, “You gave me no water for My feet, no kiss, no anointing.  Since I arrived, she has not ceased to kiss My feet, to wash them with her tears, to anoint Me with her fragrant oil.  Therefore, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  To whom little is forgiven, these love little.”

For us, here is our lesson as children.  Love much!  Love God!  Love the Church!  Love neighbor!  Love your enemy!  Love those easy to love, and love even more those who are hardest to love.

For this is the example set for us by our Lord.  It is an example that shows us the Love of God the Father for us, His children.

The Need to Believe

 Often I go back and review past bulletins and sermons for ideas to refresh and offer anew.  In many of those reviews, one encounters words encouraging a fledgling little community to go forward, to seek the Lord’s will—in their lives, but also within this, His little local church.

Belief is at the core of this.  Let me start with an old story.

In an interview with a Russian monk, a woman asks what is from the world’s perspective a very logical and simple question.  How are we to understand the resurrection of the dead?  Such things don’t happen in the world.

We’ve heard of people who have died and been resuscitated. But that’s different from resurrection.  Resurrection by our Savior promises a new life in heaven, eternally near to Him.

The Russian monk was not even slightly put off guard by the woman’s question.  His answer was simple and direct.  If God created the world out of nothing, if God established all the laws of nature, what could be impossible to Him?  He added, Is it more difficult to resurrect life than to give it?  It’s all in what you believe.

I wonder how often we consider what we’ll encounter after we die.  It should be a component of every day of our lives.  Am I closer today to the perfection to which my Lord has called me than I was yesterday?  Have I taken steps today to reconcile myself with someone who might be at odds with me?  Have I prayed for my enemies?  And the most important question—If God calls me today, have I done everything I should have done to be ready to stand before Him?

Today’s Gospel lays at our feet the commandment, Do unto others…  Before we look into our own standing with respect to this commandment, we must first recognize a couple of things.  First—God has the power to do as He wills.  Next—He always wills for us that which is best for our salvation, that which will secure a place for us near to Him for eternity.  This is why He chose to take on my flesh.  This is why He voluntarily chose to die on the Cross for us.  This is why He resurrected Himself first from the dead, that I and you and all who believe might be able to follow where He has gone first.

“Knowing” that I believe is therefore essential to my place in eternity.  How do I “know”?

Most assuredly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. (John 6:53)

We are all here today to make this commandment of our Lord the central part of our week.  Today we eat His Body, we drink His Blood, and He faithfully carries us through the coming 6 days to be strengthened once again by Him.

All because I Believe.

Remember that little community we began this piece with?

On any given Sunday as we began, attendance at Liturgy would be around 20 people.

Ten years later, amongst a group of faithful, Liturgy would be attended by about 25 people.

Now ten further years later, amongst a group of faithful, Liturgies are attended by 45 or more people.  We prayed for a building, and to the faithful the Lord granted one.  We prayed for growth, and amongst the faithful the Lord has blessed that request.  He has blessed it to the extent that we’re looking for ways to reconfigure our worship space to make it more comfortable for larger groups of faithful.

How is all this possible?  I don’t know!  What I know is that together we believe, and in that firm faith, the Lord has blessed us beyond our wildest expectations of only a few years ago.

Think of what more He can accomplish in a little place like St. Herman’s—if only we continue to believe!  Because with Him, all things are possible.